The DOI matches its Crossref record; 117 of the 117 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Religion and spirituality: Linkages to physical health.
Abstract
Evidence is presented that bears on 9 hypotheses about the link between religion or spirituality and mortality, morbidity, disability, or recovery from illness. In healthy participants, there is a strong, consistent, prospective, and often graded reduction in risk of mortality in church/service attenders. This reduction is approximately 25% after adjustment for confounders. Religion or spirituality protects against cardiovascular disease, largely mediated by the healthy lifestyle it encourages. Evidence fails to support a link between depth of religiousness and physical health. In patients, there are consistent failures to support the hypotheses that religion or spirituality slows the progression of cancer or improves recovery from acute illness but some evidence that religion or spirituality impedes recovery from acute illness. The authors conclude that church/service attendance protects healthy people against death. More methodologically sound studies are needed.
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In the citing paper
“RS have shown possible influences on many important outcomes, including lower mortality (Powell et al., 2003).”
From Advancing our understanding of religion and spirituality in the context of behavioral medicine (2017) · cites this paper as Powell et al., 2003
In the citing paper
“In systematic reviews of RS and cancer mortality or progression, there are consistent failures to support the hypotheses that RS slows cancer progression, and inadequate evidence to support the hypothesis that RS protects against cancer mortality (Powell et al., 2003).”
From Advancing our understanding of religion and spirituality in the context of behavioral medicine (2017) · cites this paper as Powell et al., 2003
Citations
Cites
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Spirituality, religion, and health: An emerging research field.
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Self-citation
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications
Koenig, H. G. (2012) · ISRN Psychiatry · doi:10.5402/2012/278730 · Cited by 2,423
Hill, P. C., & Pargament, K. I. (2003) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.58.1.64 · Cited by 1,948
Spirituality, religion, and health: An emerging research field.
Miller, W. R., & Thoresen, C. E. (2003) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.58.1.24 · Cited by 1,437
Self-citationReligion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications.
McCullough, M. E., & Willoughby, B. L. B. (2009) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0014213 · Cited by 1,275
Religion as a Meaning‐Making Framework in Coping with Life Stress
Park, C. L. (2005) · Journal of Social Issues · doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00428.x · Cited by 1,097
Metadata
- Authors
- Powell, L. H., Shahabi, L., & Thoresen, C. E.
- Affiliations
- Rush University Medical Center (US)
- University of Miami (US)
- Stanford University (US)
- ORCID
- Powell, Lynda H.
- Venue
- American Psychologist
- Published
- 2003-01
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 36-52
- ISSN
- 0003-066X (ISSN-L)
- 1935-990X
- OpenAlex
- W2081669352
- Cited by
- 1,093
- References
- 116
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 63 · 2014: 56 · 2013: 66 · 2012: 90
- FWCI
- 5.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Religion and Society Interactions
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Workplace Spirituality and Leadership
- Keywords
- religion, spirituality, physical health, mortality, church attendance, cardiovascular disease, healthy lifestyle, religiosity, tumor progression, morbidity, disability
- MeSH terms
- Cardiovascular Diseases, Cross-Sectional Studies, Death, Health Status, Humans, Morbidity, Mortality, Neoplasms, Religion and Medicine, Risk Factors, Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic, Disease Progression, Spirituality
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